The upper and lower hinges of the vehicle are similar. Both hinges do not have to be replaced unless damage warrants replacement of both. The hinges are similar on left and right sides of the vehicle. These replacement procedures apply to all.

1. Remove all of the related panels and components.
2. Remove the sealer surrounding the hinge (1).



3. Scribe the location of the hinge (1).



4. Hand-sand the existing hinge (1) with 100-grit sandpaper to locate the 4 weld locations.




Important: Punch the center of the weld so that as much of the weld as possible is removed during drilling.

5. Center punch each weld location (1).




Important: Drill only through the hinge base (1). Do not drill through the mating surface (2).

6. At each punch location, drill a 3-mm (1/8-in) pilot hole (1).



7. Using the pilot hole as a guide, drill through the hinge base using a 19-mm (3/4-in) rotabroach hole saw or equivalent (2).




Important: If necessary, use a chisel to separate the hinge from the mating surface.

8. Remove the hinge.



9. Remove the remaining weld from the mating surface to ensure a flush fit of the service hinge.

1. Position the service hinge (1) within the scribe marks (2) on the hinge pillar (3).



2. Mark each hole location on the hinge pillar according to the service hinge.



3. Drill a 3-mm (1/8-in) pilot hole at each location (1).
4. Drill a 13-mm (1/2-in) hole at each pilot hole location (2).
5. Clean and prepare all bare-metal surfaces.

Important: Prior to refinishing, refer to the publication GM 4901M-2001 GM Approved Refinish Materials for recommended products. Do not combine paint systems. Refer to paint manufacturer's recommendations.

6. Apply an anti-corrosion primer.



7. Pass the feed wire (1) through the hinge (2), body pillar (3) and backing plate (4).



8. Crimp the feed wire (1) behind the backing plate.



9. Pull the feed wire (1) while guiding the backing plate (2) into the inner structure.



10. Place the hinge (1) into position and hand tighten the 2 attaching bolts.



11. Remove the feed wire (1) from the hinge.



12. Install and hand tighten the 2 remaining bolts.

Notice: Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint clamping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.

13. Align the hinge to the original scribe location.

Tighten
Tighten the 4 bolts to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).




14. Clean and prepare all bare-metal surfaces.
15. Apply a full-bodied caulk around the service hinge (1).
16. Refinish as necessary.
17. Install and align all of the related panels and components.